Engine



Aug. 26, 1941. H. o. J. ICANTONI 2,253,505

ENGINE Filed May-ll, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. way ww Aug. 26, 1941. H. D. J: CANTONI ENGINE Filed Hay 11, 1958 3 Quests-Sheet 2 I f M 2 II Patented Aug. 26, 19 41 ENGINE Humbert Denis Jean Cantoni, Paris, France, as-

signor to Mawen S. A., Paris, France, a stock company of France Application May 11, 1938, Serial No. 207,211

In France August 9, 1937.

12 Claims.

Thepresent invention relates to internal combustion air cooled engines and has particular reference to air cooled engines of the kindin which a series of banks of radially arranged cylinders are placed in line, one behind another. Still more particularly the invention relates to the above described kind of engine in which both the cylinder banks and the crankshaft revolve, usually in opposite directions, and control of gas flow from the engine cylinders is effected by means of annular valve structure surrounding the several cylinder banks. Such engines may for convenience be generically referred to as birotary engines.

In the case of asingle bank engine, adequate cooling of the cylinders can usually be effected by the circulation of air resulting from the rotary movement of the cylinderbank and in some instances adequate cooling can be efiected by the rotary movement alone in the case of a two bank engine,'particularly where such engine is used for aircraft propulsion and is subjected to a strong blast of air from the slip stream of the propeller.

In cases where more than two banks are employed, it is diflicult, if not impossible, to effect adequate cooling, particularly in cases where engines. of this sort may be employed for the propulsion of motor cars or the like.

The present invention has for its general object the provision of improved cooling structure for engines of the kind under consideration, which structure permits by simple and effective means, adequate cooling of all of as large a number of banks of cylinders as it may be desired to employ. v

The manner in which the above general ob- .iect and other and more detailed objects of the inventionsmay be. accomplished will best be understood from a consideration of the ensuing portion of this specification, taken in conjunction with the accompaying drawings forming a part thereof in which:

Fig. 1 is-a diagrammatic representation of an engine constructed in accordance with the general principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 .of Fig. 1;,

Fig. 3 is a section illustrative of a commercial design of engine embodying the invention; llig. 4 is a section taken along the line 1-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. embodiment of the invention;

and

6,. of a further Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken along the lines 66 of Figs. 5 and 7;

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view, corresponding to Figs. 5 and 6.

' respectively, of radially arranged cylinders I0 structure indicated generally fixed'at their inner ends to acrank case structure indicated generally at and mounted to revolve about a common crankshaft 22 which is also revolvably mounted and adapted, in the embodiment illustrated, to drive a propeller 24. Around the motor assembly there is provided the rotationally stationary housing 26 having at its forward end a series of air inlet ports 28 and a series of lateral air inlet openings 30 between the successive cylinder banks. Over these openings there are preferably provided a series of projecting scoops 32 opening in the direction of movement of the engine relative to the flow of air thereover, At the rear of the surrounding casing there are provided air exhaust openings 34 and between these openings and the last cylinder bank there is provided a suction fan 36 which in the embodiment illustrated is a high speed propeller type fan driven through planetary gearing comprising a gear 38 connected to the crankshaft 22, planet gears 40 mounted on pins 42 fixed in the housing and an internal ring gear 44 forming a part of the fan structure.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 a practical application of the invention is shown more fully.

In the invention shown in this embodiment the outer stationary structure is indicated generally at and within this structure there is rotatably mounted the crankshaft 52 to which is attached at one end a suitable flywheel 54. At the opposite end the crankshaft is advantageously splined' as at 58 for fixing thereto a propeller if the engine is to be used for aircraft purposes. In an automobile installation, drive will .ordinarilybe taken from the flywheel end of the crankshaft.

The shaft illustrated is provided with four crank pins 60, 62, 64, and to which, respectively, are attached the connecting. rods 68, I0,-

12, and ll of the four banks of radially arranged cylinders l6, I8, 80, and 82.

The cylinders of the several banks are attached at their inner ends to a common crank case at at, which structure is rotatably mounted both with respect to the crankshaft and the stationary structure 50.

Forming a part of the stationary structure of the engine is an annular barrel-like member 86 encircling the several banks of cylinders and constituting among other things a ported valve for controlling admission and exhaust of gases from the several cylinders. The inner surface of this valve member is ground to provide a series of concave spherical tracks or valve sealing faces 88, 90, 92, and 94, one for each bank of cylinders. The outer ends of the cylinders are formed with neck portions 96 providing cylindrical surfaces in which are slidably mounted sealing members 98 having spherically curved outer flanges I at their outer ends adapted to seat against their cooperating spherically curved valve surfaces to provide seals for the combustion gases. At suitably spaced intervals peripherally of each bank, the valve member is ported as indicated at I02 for connection to either intake or exhaust manifold as the case may be.

The outer surface of the valve member is advantageously provided with a series of longitudinally disposed radially projecting cooling fins I04 and between the several spherically curved valve tracks, the valve member is provided with a series of rows of air inlet ports I06, I08, and I I0. As will be clear from Fig. 4, these ports are distributed around the periphery of the structure,

and they are advantageously staggered with respect to the port openings to which the various manifold connections are made.

Relative rotation between crankshaft, stationary valve structure, and cylinder banks is obtained by means of crankshaft gear II2 connection by means of suitable chain drive to gear I I4 on lay shaft I I6 mounted in the stationary structure 50. The lay shaft 6 is provided with a second gear H8 meshing with gear I20 fixed to the rotating crank case structure 84. Since gears H2 and H4 rotate in the same direction while gears II8 and I20 rotate in opposite directions, it will be evident that the crankshaft and cylinder assemblies rotate in opposite directions and both rotate in fixed timed relation to .the stationary structure. In the embodiment illustrated, an annular intake manifold I22 is provided which is connected to the carbureter outlet diagrammatically indicated at '24. From this annular inlet manifold a series of longitudinally extending branch connections, one of which is indicated generally at I26, extend along the outside of the valve member for connection to the several inlet ports. The details of such connection and of the manifolding for the exhaust ports are not essential to an understanding of the present invention and for cleamess of illustration these parts have been omitted from the drawing.

At the flywheel end of the engine the casing structure 50 is advantageously shaped to form a volute casing I28 providing a passage in communication through suitable openings I30 with the space in which the cylinder banks rotate. Within this volute casing a turbo fan I32 is provided, which may advantageously be formed as a part of the flywheel 54. Fan I32 discharges forward end with openings for admission of air such as are indicated at I58. The manner in which the structure accomplishes the object sought to be obtained will be largely apparent from the drawings. Due to the openings spaced longitudinally along the casing, fresh and comparatively cool air is drawn in in front of 'each of the individual cylinder banks to provide for eflicient cooling of each bank and the distribution of the air inlets along the length of the engine, combined with the turbulence resulting from the rotary movement of the cylinders within the casing, insures even and adequate cooling for the several cylinder banks regardless of the number of such banks employed.

According to the modification of Figs. 5 to 7, the engine illustrated comprises a series of four banks I40, I42, I44, and I46, respectively of radially arranged cylinders I48 fixed at their inner ends to a crank-case structure indicated generally at I50 and mounted to revolve about a common crank-shaft I52 which is also revolvably mounted and adapted to drive, in the embodiment illustrated, a propeller I54. Around the engine assembly there is provided a rotationally stationary casing structure I56 having at its forward end a series of air inlet openings I58 and at its rearward end a series of air exhaust openings I60.

Forming a part of the stationary casing structure I56 is an annular barrel-like member I62 encircling the several banks of cylinders and constituting among other things a ported valve for controlling admission and exhaust of gases from the several cylinders. The inner surface of this valve member is ground to provide a series of concave spherical tracks or valve sealing faces I64, I66, I68 and I10, one for each bank of cylinders. The outer ends I12 of the cylinders are formed in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3 and not shown in Figs. 5 and 6, with neck portions in which are slidably mounted sealing members adapted to seat against their cooperating spherically curved valve surfaces to provide seals for the combustion gases.

ports I14 and exhaust ports I16, and with ignition plugs I18.

Relative rotation between crankshaft, stationary valve structure and cylinder banks is ob-' tained by means not shown, similar to those illustrated in Fig. 3.

In the cylindrical wall of the valve member I62 are provided air passages I opening at I82 on to the front end of this valve member. The passages I 80 are ported at I84, I86, I88 and I90 to provide communication with the interior of the casing structure, the ports I84, I86, I88 being located between each two adjacent cylinder banks and the port I90 being located behind the rear cylinder bank. The passages I80 are also ported at I92, I94 and I96 to provide communication with the exterior of the valve structure. The ports I92, I94 and I96 are slightly displaced towards the rear with respect to ports I84, I86 and I88, respectively, and their rear edges are provided with scooplike projections I98, 200 and 202.

Between the rear openings I60 in the casing structure and the last cylinder bank there is provided a suction fan 204 driven through planetary gearing comprising a gear 206 connected to the At suit- .ably spaced intervals peripherally of each bank, the valve member is provided with admission disposed cylinders,

crankshaft I82, planet gears 288 mounted on pins IIII fixed in the casing structure and an internal 'ring gear ZII forming a part of the fan structure.

ports I92, I84 and I88. The air circulating within the passages I80 enters the casing structure through ports I84, I88, J88, and I98 and provides for eflicient cooling of each bank.

To provide also for efllcient cooling of the portions of the casing adjacent the ignition plugs, the admission gases coming from the admission manifold not shown are led to the admission ports I14 in the valve member I82 through passages 2I2 provided in the wall of the valve member and surrounding at 2 I 8 the ignition plugs I18. The comparatively .cool admission gases thus cool the portions of the casing adjacent the ignition plugs. Besides the cooling thus obtained'this arrangement is of advantage since the admission gases are preheated and their thermic atomization-is enhanced before they the cylinders.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art and exhaust ports and with ignition means,

means carried at the outer ends of the several cylinders for flow of cylinder gases, a series of peripherally spaced longitudinal air passages provided in the walls of said valve member, each of said air passages having an air inlet opening located on the front face of said casing structure, a series of lateral air outlet ports for flow of air from said air passages into said casing structure and located longitudinally between the several banks and 'atthe rear of the last bank and a series of air inlet ports for admitting air from the exterior into said air passages, one of said air inlet ports being provided slightly at the rear of each of air outlet ports which are located longitudinally between the several banks.

4. A multiple bank bi-rotary' engine comprising a series of banks of rotatably mounted radially arranged cylinders, a casing structure encircling said banks and including a valve means providing a series of valve tracks, one for each bank, said valvetracks being provided with admission and are introduced into that the invention may be embodied in many different specific forms of engine structure which may vary considerably from the structure illustrated by way of example, without departing from the scope of the invention. 'While a suction fan is to be preferred, it will be evident that a blast fan may be employed to cause forced circulation by producing positive rather than negative pressure within the casing.

The invention is accordingly to be understoodas embracing all forms of apparatus falling within the scope of the appended claims.

what is claimed is: a

1. A multiple bank bi-rotary engine comprising a series of banks of rotatably mounted radially arranged cylinders, said banks being arranged one behind another, a stationary casing structure encircling said banks and including a ported valve member providing a series of ported valve tracks,

one for each bank, means carried at the outer ends of the several cylinders and cooperating withthe ports in said valve tracks to provide for flow of cylinder gases, and a series of air admission ports formed in said valve member, the last mentioned ports being arranged to admit air to the'interior of the casing structure through portions of the valve member located longitudinally between said valve tracks.

- 2. A multiple bank bi-rotary engine comprising a plurality of rotatably mounted banks of radially said banks being arranged one behind another, a stationary casing structure including a valve encircling said cylinder banks and having a series of annular ported valve tracks, means carried at the outer ends of the cylinders and cooperating with the ports in said valve tracks to control flow of cylinder gases, and a series of air admission ports peripherally distributed around said valve member and located longitudinally between thev several ,valve tracks. said valve member being shaped adjacent to said air admission ports to provide scoop-like projections for directing air inwardly from the exterior to the interior of the casing structure.

. '8 3. A multiple bank bi-rotary engine comprising a seriesof banks of rotatably mounted radisllly arranged cylinders, a casing structure encircling said banks and including a valve member providing a series of valve tracks, one for each bank, said valve tracks being provided with admission exhaust ports and with ignition means, means carried at the outer ends of the several cylinders for flow of cylinder gases, a series of peripherally spaced longitudinal airpassages provided in the walls of said valve member, each of said air passages having an air inlet opening located on the front face of said casing structure, a series of lateral! air outlet ports for flow of air from said air passages into said' casing structure and located longitudinally between the several banks and at the rear of the last bank and a series of air inlet ports for admitting air from the exterior into said air passages, oneof said air inlet ports being provided slightly at the rear of each of the air outlet ports which are located longitudinally between the several banks, said valve member being shaped adjacent to said air inlet 'tervals through said valve tracks, and a ports to provide scoop-like projections for directing air invariably from the exterior to the interior of said air passages.

' 5. In a multiple bank engine of thecharacter described, a valve member of generally cylindrical annular form having a plurality of longitudinally spaced circular valve tracks formed on its inner surface, different tracks being located to cooperate with the cylinders of diflerent banks, a series of passages formed in said member for flow of cylinder gases, said passages terminating in ports opening at peripherally spaced inplurality of pa'ssagesextending through the valve member for flow of cooling air from the exterior to the interior of the valve member, the last named passages communicating with the interior of the valve member at peripherally spaced places located longitudinally intermediate each two adjacent valve tracks.

6. In a multiple bank engine of the character described, .a valve meinber of generally cylin-' drical annular form having a plurality of longitudinally'spaced circular valve tracks formed on its inner surface, diflferent tracks being located to cooperate with the cylinders of diiferent banks, a series of passages formed in said member for flow of cylinder gases, said passages terminating in ports opening at peripherally spaced intervals through said valve tracks, a plurality of passages extending through the valve member for flow ofcooling air from the exterior to the-interior of the vaivemember, the last named passages communicating with the interior of the valve member at peripherally spaced places located longitudinally intermediate each two 6.18-

rality of longitudinally extending passages peripherally ofiset with respect to the valve port passages, said longitudinally extending passages having longitudinally spaced openings communicating with the interior of the valve member at places longitudinally intermediate said valve tracks and having openings for admission of air to the passages.

8. In a multiple bank engine of the character described, a valve member of generally cylindrical annular form and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced valve tracks formed on its inner surface, diiferent tracks being located to cooperate with the cylinders of different banks, passages extending through said valve member and terminating in ports opening into the valve tracks for flow of cylinder gases, and a plurality of longitudinally extending passages peripherally offset with respect to the valve port passages, said longitudinally extending passages having longitudinally spaced openings communicating with the interior of the valve member at places longitudinally intermediate said valve tracks and having openings longitudinally spaced along the length of the passages for admitting air thereto.

9. In a multiple bank engine of the character described, a valve member of generally cylindrical annular form. having a plurality of longitudinal-ly spaced valve tracks formed on its inner surface, diiferent tracks being located to cooperate with'the cylinders of different banks, a series of peripherally spaced inlet ports in each of said tracks, a series of inlet manifold passages formed in said member, said passages being peripherally spaced and extending longitudinally of the valve member from an end thereof to communicate with inlet ports in at least two of said valve tracks, and a plurality of exhaust passages in said member, said passages providing a series of peripherally spaced exhaust ports for each valve track, the exhaust passages being peripherally spaced from each other and being peripherally spaced from and alternating with said inlet manifold passages.

10. In a multiple bank engine of the character described, a valve member of generally cylindrical annular form having a plurality of longitudinally spaced valve tracks formed on its inner surface, different tracks being located to cooperate with the cylinders of different banks, a series of peripherally spaced inlet ports in each of said tracks, a series of ignition openings 'for the reception of ignition means in each of said tracks, said openings being peripherally spaced from eachother and from the inlet port openings in the same track, a series of peripherally spaced inlet manifold passages formed in said member, each of said passages having an inlet opening at an end of the valve member and extending longitudinally of the valve member around the ignition openings in at least two of said tracks and communicating with inlet ports in the same valve tracks, and a series of exhaust passages in said member, said exhaust passages being peripherally spaced from each other and from said inlet manifold passages and communicating with a series of peripherally spaced exhaust ports in each of said valve tracks.

11. In a multiple bank engine of the character described, a valve member of generally cylindrical annular form having a plurality of longitudinally spaced valve tracks formed on its inner surface, different tracks being located to cooperate with the cylinders of different banks, a series of peripherally spaced inlet ports in each of said tracks, a series of inlet manifold passages formed in said member, said passages being divided into difierent groups, the passages of each group being peripherally spaced and the passages of one group having inlets at one end of the valve member and the passages of the other group having inlets at the other end of the valve member, said passages extending longitudinally toward the center of the valve member from the ends thereof and each passage communicating with inlet ports in at least two of said valve tracks, and a series of exhaust passages in said valve member, said exhaust passages providing a series of peripherally spaced exhaust port openings in each of said valve tracks and being peripherally spaced with respect to said inlet manifold passages.

12. In a multiple bank engine of the character described, a valve member of generally cylindrical annular form having a plurality of longitudinally spaced valve tracks formed in its inner surface, difierent tracks being located to cooperate with the cylinders of different banks,

a series of peripherally spaced inlet ports in each of said tracks, a series of ignition openings for the reception of ignition means in each of said tracks, said openings being peripherally spaced from each other and from the inlet port openings in the same track, a plurality of inlet manifold passages formed in said member, said passages being divided into different groups, the passages of each group being peripherally spaced and the passages of one group having inlets at one end of the valve member and the passages of the other "group having inlets at the other end of the valve member, said passages extending longitudinally toward the center, of the valve member from the ends thereof, each passage extending to communicate with inlet ports in at least tWo of said valve tracks and each passage having a portion surrounding an ignition opening in each of the valve tracks with which it provides communication with an inlet port, and

HUMBERT DENIS JEAN CANTONI. 

